retail sales bans and restrictions

The Issue:

In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act passed, giving the U.S. Food & Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products. In 2016, the FDA extended its regulatory authority to all tobacco products, including cigars, e-vapor products, and other products containing tobacco derived nicotine. However, a number of state and local governments are considering laws to further and unfairly regulate tobacco products. For example:

State and local governments continue to consider measures to further restrict the sales of tobacco products. These include:

Geographic restrictions on where tobacco products can be sold

Bans on tobacco sales at certain retail outlets

Advertising and marketing restrictions

Bans on certain tobacco products with characterizing flavors

Bans on coupons and discounts for tobacco products

Bans on the display of tobacco products in stores

Unlike the state legislative process, where proposed tobacco tax increases and new regulations typically are considered at multiple levels—by committees, both houses of the legislature, and the governor—before becoming law, local laws often are proposed and enacted very quickly. As a result, retailers and wholesalers often have little or no time to share the perspective of business owners and local employers.

Why Unfair Local Regulation of Tobacco Products Matter to You

Additional state or local sales bans, and advertising and marketing restrictions at the point of sale can block the legitimate promotion of tobacco products, interfere with the ability to communicate with adult tobacco consumers about specific tobacco brands, and place additional burdens on retail establishments, especially small businesses, who already have to comply with a multitude of rigorous laws and requirements.

Once passed, these local laws can subject retailers who operate stores in multiple jurisdictions to a patchwork of different laws and regulations, significantly increasing compliance costs and subjecting retailers to possible fines and other penalties.

Sales bans and restrictions can place local retailers at a severe disadvantage from their competitors in nearby towns. If adult tobacco consumers are denied the opportunity to identify the tobacco products they wish to purchase or are prohibited from buying a preferred flavored tobacco product, some may shift their purchases to nearby stores in other jurisdictions that don’t have these restrictions. While there, they would likely purchase other items like bread, milk, and household items on which stores depend.

Tobacco products display bans, which require a retailer to keep tobacco products out of sight from consumers, violate a retailer’s constitutional rights. A retailer’s display of a lawful product for sale is commercial speech and is protected by the First Amendment. Displaying a product in a retail store informs consumers that the product is for sale, communicates product attributes, and allows adult consumers to differentiate between products.

Food and Drug Administration Regulation

In June 2009, President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA), granting the FDA federal regulatory authority over tobacco products. Under this law, FDA was granted authority to regulate cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, “roll-your-own” tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. However, the law allows the FDA to extend its authority to regulate other tobacco products, including cigars and pipe tobacco. The implementation of the FSPTCA is taking place over time. Some provisions took effect immediately while other provisions require the FDA to take action through rulemaking, which generally involves public comment and scientific review.

In 2016, the FDA extended its regulatory authority to all tobacco products, including cigars, e-vapor products, and other products containing tobacco derived nicotine.

actions

Politicians in Santa Fe are considering banning the sale of flavored tobacco products including mint and wintergreen dip and menthol cigarettes.

On top of that, the New Mexico State Legislature is considering a proposal to increase the state cigarette excise tax by as much as $1.50 to $3.16 per pack, with similar increases on dip. A 90% tax increase is too much!

Legislators need to hear from you so they understand how a flavor ban and massive tobacco tax increase would impact local retailers and wholesalers statewide.Tell Santa Fe you oppose this massive tobacco tax hike and any attempt to ban flavored tobacco products including mint and wintergreen dip and menthol cigarettes.

Feel free to edit the letter on the next page and then press “Send” to deliver the message to your state legislators today.

Los Angeles County: Help Stop Unfair Tobacco Regulations!

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a ban on all flavored tobacco products.

This proposal could hurt your bottom line. Help us tell the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that that such a broad, overreaching regulation is unfair and unacceptable. It takes just 30 seconds today to email your Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor!

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